Island Hospital expansion focused on medical tourism

Island Medical City will feature over 1,000 beds.

Malaysia's Island Hospital is set to elevate its services for the medical tourism sector with the development of Island Medical City, focusing on enhancing the nation's appeal as a top destination for health-related travel. 

The hospital's chief of staff, Lim Kooi Ling, shared that the increasing health traveller visits in Malaysia is anticipated to continue, with Island Hospital holding 30% of the country’s inbound health tourist volume.

"In 2023, the country recorded over a million health traveller visits, marking an increase of over 15% compared to the year before," Lim stated, "For us at Island Hospital, we welcomed close to 200,000 health tourists in 2023.”

Despite challenges like the slow recovery of international flights to Penang post-COVID, Island Hospital's market share has outpaced industry growth. "This is a testament to the hospital's brand resilience and proven reputation," Lim remarked, noting the hospital's recognition by the Ministry of Health and the Malaysia Healthcare Council.

Discussing the phased development of Island Medical City, Lim described, "The recent completion of the pill wing has expanded Island Hospital's total bed capacity to 600, making it Malaysia's second-largest private hospital," she explained. The future phases are set to further increase the bed capacity to 1,000, with additional clinics and over 300 medical suites for independent medical professionals.

Lim also touched on the technological advancements being integrated into the hospital's operations, which are central to its strategy. "We are the only hospital in Malaysia equipped with a full suite of robotic surgery systems," she stated, listing several high-tech systems including the Rosa for knee replacements and the Da Vinci surgical system.

"We have a track record of investing in technologies that enhance our ability to provide superior patient care," she added, citing the AI-driven David Health Rehab system among others.

The chief of staff expressed enthusiasm about the future, particularly the opportunities to enhance medical leadership and strengthen tertiary care specialties such as organ transplant and robotic surgery. "Pushing the boundaries of medical innovation as we focus on person-centred care," she concluded, is at the core of Island Hospital’s strategy to lead and expand the medical tourism industry in Malaysia.